Comments on: Visit Norton Folgate’s Victorian Warehouses

By: Dick Hobbs

Dick Hobbs — Sat, 27 Jun 2015 22:34:17 +0000

I turned up today to have one last look at where my dad spent 49 years of his life working, and found a bunch of marketeers wanting to charge me a tenner for the priviledge. I negotiated a 2 for 1 deal, and found that this wonderful set of buildings were jam packed with earnest young things trying to sell high-end old toot (all British made, so thats OK). Local hipsters seemed to be lapping it up along with the pulled pork burgers and craft beer.
But at least the ground floors of all the old Nicholls and Clark buildings are open, including those at the far end of Blossom Street. These are especially interesting, there is an interesting collection of faded rock and pop magazine pictures on one of the walls, and some of the basements have retained a real Dickensian feel, rat-traps and all.
Despite my feelings about bearded hipsters, at least this unique space was being used once again.
Lets hope it wasn’t for the last time. These buildings and the memory of those who grafted in them deserve better than obliteration.

By: Peter Holford

Peter Holford — Sat, 27 Jun 2015 18:21:14 +0000

It’s not even a question of sacrificing profit in the cause of maintaining heritage. The two are not necessarily incompatible with each other. What is required is some imagination by the developers to adapt and restore old buildings so that they can be brought back into productive use and make profit. The capital costs would be much lower, the impact on the environment would be lessened considerably and the buildings may have a longer life span than a bunch of nondescript tower blocks that may well be demolished before the end of the century. But that would require imagination! It would also require a long term vision that would entrust our environment and history for future generations. Ha! Some hope!

By: Janice Humpage

Janice Humpage — Sat, 27 Jun 2015 17:56:41 +0000

Please is there a petition we can mail into ?

By: Jim

Jim — Sat, 27 Jun 2015 17:54:39 +0000

Should they be rented out as is? What’s the goal here?

By: Pauline Taylor

Pauline Taylor — Sat, 27 Jun 2015 17:46:19 +0000

Why is it that whilst we are constantly put under pressure to recycle everything else this does not seem to apply to buildings. It is obvious that these buildings could be saved so let us pray that British Land will not be given the planning permission that they seek.

Pauline.

By: Valerie-Jael

Valerie-Jael — Sat, 27 Jun 2015 17:04:24 +0000

I very much hope that British Land will not succeed, it is a crime to destroy our heritage for the sake of profit. Thanks for showing the photos again and for trying to mobilise supporters to save Norton Folgate. Valerie

By: paul cosgrove

paul cosgrove — Sat, 27 Jun 2015 07:46:50 +0000

Its such a shame that are heritage and historic buildings are being demolished, to make way for metal and glass buildings, the east end is renowned all over the world for its history and its people, the community is being slowly eaten up in what a lot call development, the old buildings that are being removed hold history and character, the east end should remain as it is and renovate the old buildings keeping its history intact for many more years to come.